Mike Powell, a solid right-handed batsman, made his debut for Glamorgan in 1997 after spending the 1996 off-season in Australia. He began 1997 in impressive form for the second XI with four hundreds in the opening five games, and then made an unbeaten 200 not out against Oxford University for the first team. Hugh Morris's retirement at the end of 1997 meant Powell gained a regular place in the Glamorgan side in 1998, and during that season, he scored his maiden Championship hundred at Northampton, and added a further two centuries in 1999, including a Championship best 164 against Nottinghamshire at Colwyn Bay. He continued to make important contributions in 2001 and 2002 as Glamorgan won the domestic one-day competition, and he was also their leading run scorer in 2002.

After another impressive season in 2003, the national selectors were beginning to take note, and after narrowly missing out on the original 2004 NatWest Series squad, he was later called up as cover after injuries to Marcus Trescothick and Andrew Flintoff. He was released without playing a game, but was later included in England's preliminary squad for 2004 ICC Champions Trophy. He slipped out of international contention, but was Glamorgan's Player-of-the-Year in 2006 after scoring 1327 runs, including back to back double centuries.

His cricketing career was thrust to the back of his mind in the summer of 2007, however, when surgery to remove a rib became potentially life-threatening through complications. He recovered, however, and had the rib buried in Sophia Gardens, and, as he said, it was "quite weird ... but it was exciting". Following his illness Powell never recovered his form and he was dropped from the County Championship side in 2010. Another opportunity presented itself in 2011 but after making 675 runs in 12 matches he was released - a sad end to a 14- season association with Glamorgan.

But while the Cardiff door closed, another in Canterbury opened and Powell signed a two-year contract with Kent. An ever-present in the Championship side in 2012, he scored two centuries for his new employers. At the end of the 2013 season Powell retired from first class cricket and returned to Wales to work in insurance.